Ben Whittaker Explains Matchroom Switch, Insists He's World Title Ready Now
Ben Whittaker says he feels like he is preparing for his debut again after kicking off a ‘new chapter’ by signing for Matchroom.
The light-heavyweight was one of the stars of Ben Shalom's Boxxer stable but it was announced this week that Whittaker has jumped ship and linked up with Eddie Hearn.
It brings an end to his three-year alliance with Boxxer which involved the first 10 fights of his professional career and took him up to his victorious rematch with Liam Cameron, which ended inside two rounds in Birmingham on April 20.
Despite Shalom telling The Ring that he was in talks to arrange a headline show for Whittaker in Birmingham this November, the 28-year-old’s next fight will now take place on a Matchroom card.
“I’ve had 10 fights but I feel like it’s a debut again,” said Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KOs) during an interview on Matchroom's Youtube channel. “I feel like it’s a fresh start, a new chapter and a chapter that I needed. My next fight will be like my debut again.
“Things happen for a reason and we’ve aligned. What Eddie has got going on is great, he’s professional and I’m at a certain point in my career where I’ve got the platform, I just need the right route, the right fights and the titles and Matchroom can do it - so it made sense."
“I’ve only had 10 but I’ve learned a lot - I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in those 10 fights. I think that little bit of experience I’ve got from those will take me far.”
His victory over Cameron drew a line under a bitter rivalry which started when they controversially drew in Riyadh in October last year.
After five back-and-forth rounds, the pair tumbled over the top rope moments before the bell to end the fifth. Whittaker sustained an injury during the incident and was unable to continue, meaning the fight ended in a technical draw.
But Whittaker made no mistake in the rematch six months later having linked up with new trainer Andy Lee.
“I learned a lot from that fight,” Whittaker said. “I learned how good I truly am, what I should have done in the first one and that you can’t take your career for granted. My popularity grew so fast and everything was just happening at 100 miles per hour. I got a bit lost with it.
“But after that first fight I regrouped with Andy Lee, I really locked in, really focused and I showed you a serious me and a dangerous me.”
Whittaker, who recently entered the top 10 with the WBC, was also asked how far away from winning a world title in a division where Ring champion Dmitry Bivol holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles while David Benavidez holds the WBC belt.
He said: “Truthfully, if you ask me or you ask Andy, with what I’ve been doing in the gym, we’re ready now - but pro boxing is a business.
“For me, I just have to keep doing what I’m supposed to be doing in the gym. Eddie, Frank [Smith] and my manager can sort it out.
“I’m 28, I’m still young for the division and I have time on my side. For me it’s about putting them in front of me and I’ll beat them.”
